Halvarssons Gruven Ladies Jacket and Gnon trousers could be a five star product, if it weren't for one major fault

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When I think of Sweden the trauma of Ikea flat-packed furniture, ‘70’s supergroup Abba and the hurdy-gurdy Swedish Chefs from the Muppets spring to mind.

But for me, there’s also the thoughts of top quality riding kit from Halvarsson, a company I found years ago and have always had positive experiences of wearing. When I was given the chance to put their winter textile suit on test, I jumped at the chance and here’s my thoughts after almost a year of riding exploits.

How comfortable is the Halvarssons Gruven jacket?

From first wear, the laminated jacket and trousers feels comfortable and fits well, sleeves are long, cuffs are adjustable, plus there’s an inner cuff, that ensures a snug fit inside my gloves. There’s well placed vents on both the jacket and the trousers, which on warmer spring/autumn rides have proved useful.

Sizing of the kit is good, it’s tailored for the female form and there’s adjustments at the waist of the jacket, plus the laminated trousers accommodate middle-aged spread around the hip area. At 5’10” I’m tall and this kit is great from the point that the trousers come in various lengths, so it’s not a case of one size fits all (which invariably they don’t).

Is the Halvarssons Gruven jacket practical?

With large patch pockets on the jacket, there’s space to stow keys and my phone with ease. They have a large flap closure and are fully waterproof. A long connecting zip is easy to locate and keeps out draughts. There’s a removable thermal inner jacket that looks like it’s lined with tin foil, which can be removed for on warmer days and adds warm without bulk on colder days.

One criticism: the zip on the jacket is very fine, with a very small zipper, with aged eyesight failing slightly, I do sometimes struggle to zip the jacket up. I suppose I should put my reading specs on but that’s not the most practical solution, a slightly larger zipper would solve the problem.

How does the Halvarssons Gruven jacket look?

I like the look of the kit, it’s not oversized, like some winter riding kit and because of the clever Outlast technology, which regulates heat, without bulk, I don’t feel like a version of the Teletubbies when off the bike.

Is the Halvarssons Gruven jacket good quality?

There is one major fault, which is partially operator error, and caused damp underlayers on a very wet trip to Cornwall. I’m not a fan of fuss around my neck, I find it claustrophobic to have the collar of any riding gear done up tightly round my throat. The Gruven comes with a lot of fuss in this department, including a detachable collar, which attaches over the top of the jacket, to seal the neck and stop water seeping in.

As you guessed, I didn’t fit this and my necktube absorbed water, which in turn found it’s way through all my layers, down to my under garments. I’ve subsequently lost the collar and so now, any wet weather ride, I’m always waiting for the neck leak to occur.

Protection and CE ratings on the Halvarssons Gruven jacket

Certified to CE safety level AA, the jackets and trousers both have level 2 approved, flexible armour at the key areas of knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. Disappointingly the back protector is separate. There are a couple of options available from Halvarsson: their level 1 back protector costs £39.99, while the level 2 is slightly more expensive at £59.99. When on, neither the jacket or trouser armour moves, making me feel confident, should the worst happen, it would stay put and do its job.

There is space to fit a chest protector and the jacket also comes ‘air-bag’ ready but I’ve put neither of these options to the test.

Is the Halvarssons Gruven jacket good value for money?

At just over a grand for the suit, it’s not cheap but the quality is good and after a few thousand miles there are few signs of wear and tear. I do think that for the price the back protector should be included as standard, but this is a minor niggle.

Halvarssons Gruven jacket – the bottom line

This is a decent set of kit and if you can overcome the faffy neck issue, I’m sure it would be a 5/5 but for me, it’s just that little bit overcomplicated and uncomfortable at the neck area.

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